1. A reformed copyright

In order to favor the spread of culture and knowledge, which is the basis for all cultural creation, the Pirate Party wants to see a strong limitation of the commercial protection period in copyright to five years. In order for the protection period to continue to apply after five, ten and fifteen years, the rights holder must apply for this, and register in a publicly searchable database. After twenty years, the possibility to extend the commercial copyright ceases.

We want to reform copyright, but the non-profit right must still apply. No one should be able to claim that they created a work that someone else has created. This creates strong protection for artists and cultural creators, who can then be recognized for their creativity and artistry. The non-profit copyright must remain unchanged.

Free non-commercial file sharing

With the arrival of the Internet on the world stage, people’s communication channels have changed tremendously. In particular, it has become easier to share culture between each other. In the past, physical copies were lent to each other –
today digital. However, the copyright industry equates this with theft and has therefore, with the help of strong lobbying, influenced politicians to legislate against file sharing. The problem with a ban on file sharing is that it is basically impossible to prove someone’s guilt/liability if you don’t also search people’s private communications. Something that is a violation of personal integrity. Free non-commercial file sharing should be allowed.

Remix and quote

By reforming copyright, innovation and creativity within the maker culture can be benefited. The myth of a lone genius creator is of course not true. One idea is inspired by another and generates a better solution to a problem. Copyright as it exists today can put a damper on the creative process. In the maker world, both knowledge and culture are generated, but right now it risks being inhibited. Remixing, parodies, quotations and sampling shall be exceptions to the exclusive right of commercial copyright.

Therefore, we want to:

§1 The commercial term of copyright protection is shortened to five years;

§2 The commercial protection term can be extended in five-year intervals up to a maximum of twenty years;

§3 Non-commercial file sharing is legalized;

§4 A general exception to copyright similar to the American “fair use” is introduced.

2. Tax-funded culture

It is unfortunate that much of the culture that is funded by tax dollars does not benefit citizens on a large enough scale. It is reasonable that such material is documented and published with free licenses. Digitization makes more culture available to those who, for various reasons, e.g. due to functional variation or distance, cannot take part in certain culture.

If e.g. cultural or sports events are paid for with public funds or receive public contributions, it must be permitted to record the event and make it public, so that everyone can take part in and refine the experience further. We want all tax-financed culture to be digitized and made available online as much as possible.

Therefore, we want to:

§5 Tax-financed culture is, to the extent possible, digitized and made freely available;

§6 Tax-funded culture should not be locked behind copyright.

3. The public libraries

Public libraries are undergoing change. Many people ask the question – why should you go to a library? All knowledge is available on the internet. But in a world of an abundance of information, we also seem to have forgotten how to be critical of sources. Internationally, libraries have taken up the fight against disinformation.

Locally, the public libraries are tasked with focusing especially on children and young people to stimulate reading and language development, assisting with materials for new Swedes and library users with functional variations. But perhaps most important of all is the public library’s function as a physical meeting place. Libraries are one of the few remaining physical meeting places that are free and free to visit. Libraries are places of study, oases of knowledge, cultural centers and social meeting places.

We want to give the Royal Library the task of developing a national, common library catalog that includes the e-book system. There must be an opportunity for library users to upload their own material to the catalogue. However, it is important that personal data and confidential information are not shared between libraries. Each library must have its own system for storing personal data.

Libraries should, to the greatest extent possible, work with free and open software and encourage their partners to do the same. Proprietary software must be phased out by the year 2030. Libraries must protect the privacy of their borrowers, among other things by minimizing loan history in cases where the borrower has not requested that it exist. The computers in public libraries must enable visitors to access the internet freely and anonymously, without the library having to store personal data linked to computer use. The libraries must not distribute personal data to third parties, e.g. when lending e-books.

Therefore, we want to:

§7 KB is tasked with producing an open national library catalogue;

§8 The library transitions to free and open software by 2030;

§9 The library practices strict data minimization;

§10 The library’s computers enable anonymous and free use of the internet.

4. E-books in libraries

The Pirate Party protects the citizens’ right to free culture. There are many benefits of e-books for the reader. The material is environmentally friendly, quickly delivered and easy to store. For libraries, on the other hand, problems arise due to copyright. It means that an electronic book is many times more expensive than a printed one to lend. This leads to many public libraries choosing to set a maximum number for how many e-books a borrower can borrow at a time. It does not improve that the ebook formats are narrow and can only be read through certain apps and operating systems. The Pirate Party therefore believes that licenses for electronic books should look like those for printed books. Technical barriers, such as lending caps or DRM protection must not occur.

Therefore, we want to:

§11 The library’s lending of e-books must take place on the same terms as the lending of physical books;

§12 The library’s e-books must be in open formats and without technical barriers.

5. Digitization of museums and cultural heritage

There are opportunities to use modern technology to make museum objects available to a greater extent, so that more people can take part in the knowledge and information available. In addition to the digitization assignment they have been given, museums must also review the other ways in which they can make their objects available. A special investment should be made in VR technology.

Therefore, we want to:

§13 Public museums are tasked with digitizing and making their collections available.

6. Creative culture

The Pirate Party is a political party with roots in participatory culture and which sees culture and creativity as central to society’s development. The Pirate Party therefore wants to create spaces for innovators, creators and inventors where they can share and be inspired by each other’s ideas.

The Pirate Party wants to see an investment in creative culture. As new technical means are developed new opportunities for artistic creation are also created. But art materials can be difficult and expensive to come by for the individual. Just like playgrounds and sports grounds, municipalities must provide creative spaces in the form of workshops where citizens share resources. A kind of innovation hubs for artistic renewal that bridge the outdated division between technology-based innovation, artistic creation and pure hobby activity; where creators share ideas and build bridges between different art forms.

Therefore, we want to:

§14 Premises with a function as innovation hubs and artistic workshops are established to stimulate creative culture.